Teacher Profile: Mateo McConnell

About Mateo McConnell

Mateo McConnell has over twenty years of educational experience and has worked as a pianist and French hornist with many different classical music groups in both New York City and Atlanta. He believes that the study of music can help us not just learn an instrument but also to develop skills and habits that can lead to greater success in whatever we choose to do later in life. He does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to education, and tries to approach each individual student in the way they are best capable of learning.

Mateo was principal hornist of the Orquesta Filarmonica del Estado de Queretaro in Mexico for several years, where he also directed Spanish language music education programs for use in public schools. He has performed with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, and Atlanta Ballet orchestras, among others. He is also a composer and arranger, having pieces performed by the Queretaro Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony Brass Quintet, and the Atlanta Symphony percussion and horn sections, among others. While primarily a classically trained musician, he also enjoys playing all styles of music and performing around town on both piano and horn.

Mateo has over 10 years experience as a high school teacher specializing in kids with learning differences at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta, GA. He loves getting to work with kids and seeing the spark in their eyes when they finally grasp something they worked hard at. His most unusual non-musical accomplishments are hiking the entire Appalachian Trail and making it onto the sixth season of MasterChef and cooking for Gordon Ramsay.